Iberostar Waves Paraiso del Mar

After an exhausting 18‑hour journey (including the car transfer) with TUI, the flight itself felt more like an 18–30s Butlins holiday, with many very drunk passengers, our family of four (my husband and I, my 71‑year‑old mum, and our 13‑year‑old daughter) arrived hot, tired, and desperate for some air conditioning.

Instead, we were stood outside the airport in 34° heat from 4pm for almost half an hour, watching other customers who had come out after us leave first. By 4:25, my husband had to speak to a TUI rep as my mum was struggling badly in the heat. When we finally reached the check‑in desk, we discovered that the check‑in area is not air‑conditioned, and we then spent over an hour in the lobby being told our two rooms could not be next to each other on the ground floor. We were even informed they wouldn’t be in the same building unless we paid an extra £300 upgrade fee. This was the start of what felt like constant upselling.

We stayed in two rooms:

• A tropical garden room with two double beds for my mum and daughter. • A king‑size tropical garden room for myself and my husband.

The hotel itself is undeniably beautiful, with lush surroundings and well‑maintained grounds. However, the atmosphere is undermined by the persistent pressure to spend more money. Guests are frequently approached with offers that feel less like hospitality and more like sales tactics.

One particular warning: avoid the so‑called “special breakfast” invitation. It is essentially a membership club pitch (similar to a timeshare presentation). They entice you with promises of perks, but online reviews suggest these often fail to materialize. The talks are advertised as 1.5 hours but reportedly last closer to 4 hours. It’s disappointing that a TUI‑based hotel does not protect its customers by pre‑warning them about this.

Another frustration: of the seven restaurants advertised, one (Star Rock Café) is permanently closed. Staff seemed reluctant to admit this, repeatedly implying it was only temporary, but it is clearly not reopening. This was one of the reasons we booked, as I knew my daughter would have loved it. The closure also highlights how lunch options are nowhere near as good as the dinners, and it removes one of the few fun, themed choices for families.

Trying to book a table at the remaining restaurants is much harder than it needs to be. We were given contradictory advice about how to book, and the app for booking a meal does not work. When you ask in person to book a restaurant you will yet again be asked if you have considered attending the ‘special breakfast’.

We also received multiple paper cards pushed under our door (every single day in fact) I have taken a photo of some of these; encouraging us to attend the “special breakfast.” For a hotel that claims to be focused on sustainability, this felt incredibly wasteful; even if the paper is recycled, the sheer volume of printed material contradicts the eco‑friendly image they promote. On top of this, guests must pay additional environmental tax and tourist tax, which together added roughly £100 to our stay. One concierge even told us that Iberostar plans to pull away from third‑party companies like TUI so guests will only be able to book directly with Iberostar in future. We are fairly sure this was an outright lie designed to pressure us into joining the membership programme; and it raises questions about whether TUI is aware that such claims are being made.

⭐ Top Tips for Future Guests

• If you enjoy children dive‑bombing in the pool and loud groups talking through live shows, then mid‑to‑late July is the perfect time to visit. We experienced three separate live shows where loud conversations continued throughout: common courtesy would be to step away if you need to chat, but this didn’t seem to be the norm. • Be prepared for lively flights from Newcastle. Ours felt like a competition to see who could get the drunkest. One passenger was covered in red wine that appeared to be from vomiting, and the cabin crew had to make multiple announcements about alcohol consumption. • Avoid the “special breakfast” sales pitch as it’s not the treat it’s made out to be. • Don’t assume all advertised restaurants are open, especially Star Rock Café. • Expect upselling at check‑in, including charges for room placement that you may have assumed were standard. • If you like fatty, incinerated meat, book the Smokehouse. It’s very much a “love it or hate it” experience. • If you enjoyed 2am kebabs as a teenager after a night out, you’ll love El Rodizio restaurant. We were served tiny slithers of meat scraped from a kebab skewer every five minutes. You never receive a full plate, and after an hour I had eaten only two slithers of meat. We walked out in the end.

Overall Impression

• Pros: Beautiful grounds, tropical garden rooms are spacious and comfortable. • Cons: Standing outside in extreme heat at arrival, lack of air conditioning in check‑in area, upselling culture, misleading “special breakfast,” permanently closed restaurant (Star Rock Café), chaotic restaurant booking system, loud evening entertainment audiences, and chaotic outbound flight experience. • Not the fault of the hotel but you will not be able to go into the sea due to Sargassum which blooms July-September.

Advice to future guests: Enjoy the beauty of the resort, but be cautious of upselling tactics, avoid the membership breakfast pitch, and be aware that the atmosphere in July can be very loud and lively.

We had an amazing vacation! The food was delicious, the pools were beautiful, and the entertainment every night was fantastic. We especially want to thank Cinthia Saucedo for her outstanding service. She was always friendly, professional, and genuinely cared about making our stay unforgettable. Her positive attitude and warm hospitality made us feel at home. We can't wait to come back!